The
first of two pre-season practice sessions unfolded this past Saturday
under bright & warm skies and it was a spirited afternoon to say the
very least. In no certain order we'll update you on what some of the
teams will be doing this season at Riverhead Raceway. Judging by the
turnout this past Saturday the 2012 season is going to be one you don't
dare want to miss at Barbara & Jim Cromarty's historic oval.

All teams please take note as announced Saturday the Hoosier Tire Truck
will NOT be at Riverhead Raceway this Saturday April 28th for the second
pre-season practice day. If you're going to need tires you should call
them and make arrangements to go and pick them up during the week at
their Calverton warehouse.

Barbara & Jim Cromarty announced over the weekend the addition of three
time trial events for the NASCAR Modifieds this season. Time trial
qualifying will set the field for the June 16th, August 4th and August
25th feature events. With three of the four races in May and two of the
three Whelen All-American Series races TT shows the Cromarty's thought
it would be nice to add these three dates to the schedule.

Former Demolition Derby and Enduro veteran "Mad" Mike Smith took his
first laps at Riverhead in his Legend Race Car, the former Vincent
Biondolillo machine. The car is being raced as a tribute to Jay Trinca
Jr. with Jay's go-kart number 48 on the sides of the 2 Brothers
Industries race car. Mike told me driving these cars is a blast and that
he was so anxious to do so he went to Pennsylvania twice to get in some
laps! By the way does anyone know what Mike is "mad" about anyway? The
son of a good family friend of mine, Robert Cangialosi Jr. is among the
Smith team for 2012.

When I stopped by the Glenn Logan NASCAR Modified pit area I quickly
took note of his new sponsor HookupLI.com and I sheepishly asked what
kind of business that was. Indeed it is a web page for Long Island
singles to meet up on and they'll join Island Trees Automotive on
Logan's car for 2012.

Jerry Solomito Jr. #59 was busy in the off-season signing on new
sponsors for his NASCAR Modified effort. Jerry, who is now engaged to
Super Pro Truck driver Erin Dumicich, added Supreme Skylights, Boomer's
of Medford, Ralph Derose Realtor and State Farm Insurance to his
marketing team for 2012. Jerry's day ended early with a light tap of the
turn one wall.

Frank Dumicich Jr. looking fit for 2012 as he not only added Crossfit
Long Island to his SPT team but that is also where the second place
pointman in 2011 works out. He was fast all afternoon, spending much of
the afternoon hounding his dad Frank Sr. in the #5.

Jack Handley Jr. #49 all decked out in new colors for his Blunderbust
effort this year with a red racer. Papa Jack told me the team has added
Rocco's Pizza of Riverhead as a sponsor for the new season.

"The Natural" Timmy Solomito #99 is now fully recovered from his wrist
injury and ready to chase the 2012 NASCAR Modified title. Timmy who
ended 2011 with a WMT ride in Ed Whalen's back-up car will carry Ed's
Al-Lee Installation colors on his Chevy for this year. Also joining the
team is former Charger car owner and driver James Becht Construction.
Becht most recently owned the cars of Steve Ratti in the Charger ranks.

Ted Christopher #15 took his first laps in Wayne Anderson's Eastport
Feeds Chevy. How serious is TC about his effort at Riverhead this
season? Teddy has a friend with an airplane that flew him across the
Long Island Sound for practice!

Defending Legend Race Car champion Chris Young was on hand with two Ray
the Plumber entries and as one would expect was fast right off the
truck. I have to correct my announcement from Saturday; Chris will be
going to Purdue University in the fall on a full scholastic ride! Chris
was sporting a Boilmaker shirt after warm-up, congrats Chris.

John Fortin Sr. nearly knocked me off my feet when he proclaimed "I'm
not racing this year", as I walked into his enclosed trailer to say
hello. Fortin, who now has four NASCAR Modifieds in his possession is
just short of help at the race shop and wants to focus on Amber and John
Jr. as 2012 starts. John will race if he can find a crew chief and some
more crew members and if you'd like to help out the former three-time
NASCAR Modified champion give him or Amber a call at John's Fuel Oil.

John Beatty Jr. debuted what is from front bumper to rear bumper an all
new NASCAR Modified. Earlier in the day when I spoke to John's very shy
father John Sr. he told me that John Jr. might want to change his number
from 14 to another. By the end of practice Mr. Beatty told me that
thought was now scrubbed.

The Mujsce Racing Team of Tom Ferrara #14 and owner Mike Mujsce #13 are
very focused on wining the 2012 Figure Eight title in their Bill Beener
Tree Service machines. They were early to the track and in a perfect
storm would like to finish 1-2 in the final championship standings.

Hardly recognized Michael Rommeney and his Legend Race Car, known as the
"Cheesebox" as his yellow race car this year is now a powder blue
colored car with the #05.

The effort put forth by track operations manager John Ellwood again bore
fruit Saturday. The new NASCAR trailer in the tech inspection area
looked great and the re-vamped PA Systems perhaps was the clearest and
crispest that I've announced on in my 37-years of doing this sort of
thing. Bill Finan was alongside Saturday as he was able to get a day
off.

Vincent Biondolillo #06 sure didn't look like a 14-year old in his
Riverhead Raceway NASCAR Modified debut. The nephew of the late, great
Joe Biondolillo Jr. handled the former Chuck Steuer mount just fine all
day long. In one session he tagged onto Ted Christopher's bumper as the
green flew and although TC pulled away Vincent was able to keep his
sights on him in his McBetts Racing Engine racer.

NASCAR Modified veteran Bill Park was driving crutches after recent knee
surgery to correct a meniscus issue. Bill noted that when the doctor
went in to fix the original problem there was more damage to be fixed
which in turn will increase his recovery time. I'll say this, Bill is
one tough cat, he told me even though the doctor gave him pain meds he
never took one, ouch!

Thomas Puccia Jr. #51 is another Blunderbust driver who is changing his
color scheme for 2012 as his Ferradino & Sons Construction machine is
now white with green letters. Former BB champion John "King" Clancy is
still working with the young lion.

Kyle Ellwood #71x will join the Goodie Motorsports Legend team alongside
Jeffrey Goodale #46 in 2011. Budget restraints will find Kyle's NASCAR
Modified on the sidelines for at least the start of the new season.

Eric Goodale, winner of the Richie Evans Memorial 100, down in Florida
in February was on hand with his Riverhead Building Supply Chevy turning
some laps. As many of you know, our esteemed starter Mike "Smokey" Boken
drives a truck for Riverhead Building Supply but yet Saturday while
flagging warm-ups he wore a Lowes/Jimmy Johnson hat!

Chris McGuire #89x looked like he'd been driving a NASCAR Modified for
quite awhile as he shook-down the M3 Technologies Chevy, in my opinion
Chris did a good job working the corners of the track which is the key
to success at Riverhead. Chris might run his potent Charger car a few
times in 2012 but his main focus is on Ken Massa's NASCAR Modified.

John Baker #07 who just hours before practice inked Sunrise Medical Labs
as a sponsor looked good in his jet black Charger car, John was the 2011
Rookie of the Year in the class.

Also in a jet black Charger car was Jeremy McDermott #5, this car had to
be totally re-done after his hard crash with Eric Zeh last summer.
McDermott indeed will be a threat to Chris Turbush's drive for five
straight Charger championships.

Speaking of Chris he had his nephew Mark Stewart out in his Sign FX
Super Pro Truck for some practices. Mark I'm told by Chris will practice
the truck weekly to get some seat time and Uncle Chris will race it.
Mark is just another graduate of the East End Kart Racing club that
races here at Riverhead.

Christian Conklin is another driver who did a solid job is signing
sponsors, Conklin will go Legend racing in 2012 and has signed East End
Limousine and Cool Breeze Trucking to his team They join his Enduro
sponsors Let It Shine Detailing and Spit's Speed Shop on the former Kyle
Ellwood car.

Strange to see Roger Oxee minus his potent #39 Late Model at the track.
RJ just got his engine back and will wait until this week's practice to
take some laps. After buying tires Oxee was off to take his car to
sponsor Southold IGA for a personal appearance.

Late Model teammates Chris LaSpisa #7 and Arne Pedersen #11 were among
the Late Models on hand. LaSpisa actually hopes to sell the #11 and in
fact would love to see Arne buy it. Pedersen in his BNR Home Improvement
Dodge will defend his Figure Eight championship and indeed will be a
busy man in 2012.The two Late Model cars could use some sponsorship
money LaSpisa told me.

Great job by the Riverhead Raceway NASCAR Technical Inspectors, Walter
Bonzcyk, Terry Fallon, Ernie Keisling and Gary Fritz Jr. in keeping the
Safety Tech Inspection line moving along at a fast pace, this allowed
everyone who was there in the morning a chance to hit the track when
warm-ups started.

Good to see Ricky Todd aka Captain Video setting up his broadcast booth,
Ricky dropped some weight over the off-season.

Tough day for our own Robin and Don Merry who lost brakes on their van
en route to the track, after a quick stop for repairs the couple did
make it later in the day.

Great turnout of Enduro teams who got a chance to shake down their cars
later in the day. Among them defending Grand Enduro champion Davis Antos
in his CR Customs Chevy #73.

We also spotted the successful Anthony Pizzo in his STS Tires Chevy from
the 8-Cylinder ranks.

Steve Mastro #45 Grand Enduro seemed to have some gremlins strike his
Atlantic VW-Audi entry when he was out with a Blunderbust practice.
Steve loaded-up and left before we could ask him what happened.

"The Pitbull" Steve Trimboli with an immaculate looking #69 Grand Enduro
racer took his first laps in the class, he also had his 4/6-Cylinder Car
on hand.

The father & son tandem of Andy "Daddy Cool" Owen #29 and Dale "Kid
Cool" Owen were on hand with their 4/6-Cylinder Trucks.

The always lovely Mariah Lawrence shook down her General Lee #01 truck.

Jimmy Sylvester's #2 Legend Race Car is a real looker; love the chrome
that was added to the side bars on the Planet Earth Recovery entry.

Rookie Charger drivers Jayson White and Cory Midgett, both of whom
bought their cars out of the Dumicich race shops looked like they were
adapting to the machines as the day wore on.